China will invest 430 billion yuan (€62.2 billion) in broadband networks this year, and at least another CNY700 billion (€101.3 billion) between 2016 and 2017.
According to guidelines issued on Wednesday by China’s State Council, by the end of 2015 the country will boast 1.3 million 4G base stations and 300 million 4G subscribers.
On the fixed side, 80 million households and 10,000 villages will have fibre broadband access by the end of the year, while 14,000 villages will have broadband access.
In a statement, the State Council said it has issued the guidelines because "there is still a huge gap between China’s network speed and international standards, as well as the expectations of the Chinese people. There are also issues such as high network fees and unbalanced development in rural and urban areas — and limited quality of services."
By 2017 China aims to provide 100 Mbps fibre broadband to all households in locations above prefecture-level, that is, an area with an urban population that exceeds 200,000.
In addition, more than 80% of villages will be covered by fibre networks, and all cities and villages will have 4G coverage, the government said, setting a minimum 30 Mbps connection speed for large municipalities and provincial capitals, and 20 Mbps in smaller cities.
"The government will push telecommunications companies to lower the fees they charge for Internet access and it will aim to bring down the average fees charged for mobile data and fixed broadband," the State Council said.
The targets fall under the Broadband China programme, which will see the government spend a massive US$327 billion to provide nationwide broadband cover age by 2020.
